Frost dates for Carthage, IL
When the last spring frost and first fall frost usually come, and when to plant, from 30 years of NOAA weather records.
Last spring frost
April 13
typical year
Safe to plant
April 30
frost is over in 9 of 10 years
First fall frost
October 22
typical year
Growing season
191 days
frost-free, typical year
Frost watch this week
Tonight's and the next six nights' lows from the National Weather Service forecast for the station's location. Frost: 32°F or colder. Possible frost: 33–36°F, mostly in low spots on clear, still nights.
When to plant
Counted from this page's frost dates. Warm-season crops wait for the safe-to-plant date.
| Crop | Start indoors | Plant outside | Fall planting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool-season crops | |||
| Peas | – | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Spinach | – | Mar 2 – 23 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Lettuce | – | Mar 16 – Apr 6 | Aug 27 – Sep 10 |
| Radishes | – | Mar 16 – Apr 27 | Sep 10 – 24 |
| Onions | – | Mar 16 – 30 | – |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 23 – Apr 6 | – |
| Carrots | – | Mar 23 – Apr 13 | Jul 30 – Aug 13 |
| Beets | – | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Kale | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Broccoli | Feb 2 – 16 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Cabbage | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Mar 16 – 30 | Aug 13 – 27 |
| Garlic | – | – | Sep 10 – Oct 1 |
| Warm-season crops | |||
| Tomatoes | Mar 5 – 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 | – |
| Peppers | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 7 – 21 | – |
| Cucumbers | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | – |
| Zucchini | – | Apr 30 – May 28 | – |
| Pumpkins | – | Apr 30 – May 21 | – |
| Green beans | – | Apr 30 – Aug 13 | – |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 30 – May 28 | – |
| Basil | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | May 7 – 14 | – |
Onions: from sets. Green beans: until 10 weeks before the first fall frost. Garlic: harvest next summer.
The year at a glance
Start indoors Plant outside Fall planting
The chance of frost, by date
| 1 year in 10 | Half of years | 9 years in 10 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring frost after | April 30 | April 13 | March 30 |
| Fall frost before | October 8 | October 22 | November 4 |
Frost here means 32°F or colder. Read across: in 1 year in 10, spring frost carries on past the first date, which is why that date is the safe-to-plant date.
Hard freeze (28°F)
A hard freeze kills most garden plants, even hardy ones. The last one in spring usually comes around April 3 (April 20 in a late year), and the first one in fall around November 1.
Towns that use these dates
This is the nearest NOAA station with frost records for 7 towns.
Carthage, Bowen, Plymouth, West Point, Ferris, Basco, Bentley
Where these dates come from
NOAA weather station BENTLEY, IL US (USC00110598), 1991–2020 climate normals. It's the nearest station for 7 zip codes, all within 13 miles:
62313, 62316, 62321, 62336, 62367, 62374, 62380
Planting dates follow common university extension advice; your local extension service can fine-tune them for your soil and microclimate.